Documentary Course: Introduction to Producing and Directing

Film. Focus on cinema.

Appreciate and learn about film the smart way with Film courses at CCE, the University of Sydney.

Before making a great documentary, journalists and filmmakers need to grasp the basics. Documentary producing and directing by filmmakers requires a nuanced sense of their rights and obligations. How best to get the most out of pre-production and shoot in order to maximise the creative outcomes for a film.

Participants in this documentary course – an introduction to producing and directing – will develop professional standards whilst making their own documentary. Each participant will produce and direct their own documentary film (5 minutes in length) and screen it at the end of the 6-week program. Participants will also learn how to master their production equipment for best results, including cameras, microphones and editing software. The knowledge and skills gained from this program can be adopted to corporate video production.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Produce their own quality documentary.
2. Prepare for and shoot a documentary interview.
3. Shoot B roll.
4. Shoot observational footage.
5. Source Documentary talent.
6. Edit digital video into a visual story.
7. Produce to completion a five minute micro documentary.

Content

Introduction

• Documentary history and appreciation

Pre-production

• Sourcing talent
• Finding a story
• Finding the audience
• Research
• Ethnographic study principals
• Modes of documentary
• Planning documentary shoot days

Production

• Interview technique
• Camera operation for documentary
• Creating engaging B Roll
• Sound recording
• Basic lighting

Post-production

• Editing theory
• Editing process for documentary
• Exhibition

Knowledge outcomes

• Documentary producing ethics and principals
• Documentary production styles and techniques
• Interview technique and strategy
• Documentary production process management
• Sourcing talent and story considerations.

Skill outcomes

• Camera operation
• Sound recording
• Planning and scheduling
• Logistics of documentary film production
• Video editing process
• Mastering of videos for online and cinema delivery

Delivery Style

This documentary course is delivered in small consultative group sessions. These sessions include presentations, demonstrations, discussions and the screenings of documentary films. Importantly, this program is consultative, and participants will receive feedback each week on the progress of their documentary film. Their films will be produced outside of class time.

Before the course

Participants will not need to purchase equipment before the commencement of this documentary course. Advice and consultation will be given in the first session for those participants who are unsure of what equipment should be used. As a guide, and for best results, it will be recommended that the participants have access to the following equipment:

• Camera or DSLR with video capability
• Lapel microphone
• Tripod
• Laptop computer (both Apple and PC platforms are suitable)
• Adobe Premiere Pro software for video editing (or similar).

Participants may also wish to use their smartphone as a substitute to a camera or DSLR; this is fine and will enable production.